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Global Leaders Arrive in New Delhi for BRICS Summit

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in New Delhi on Friday ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit 2026. The Secretary-General was received by the Minister of State for Education, Sukanta Majumdar.

Earlier, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Uganda Vice President Jessica Alupo arrived in the national capital. Both were received by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Jayant Chaudhary. South Africa is a member country of BRICS, while Uganda is one of the 10 partner countries.

Meanwhile, Uruguay Foreign Affairs Minister Mario Lubetkin has also arrived in New Delhi. Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu and Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa P Lazaro also arrived ahead of the Summit.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has also arrived in New Delhi ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit. Upon his arrival, Putin was welcomed by Union Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh. Other major representatives from Russia who arrived early in the morning were Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Denis Manturov.

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) President Zou Jiayi also arrived to attend the 18th BRICS Summit.

India's 2026 BRICS Chairship: Theme and Focus

India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13 under its 2026 BRICS Chairship. India's Chairship is guided by the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, with development, sustainability and innovation forming key areas of focus.

The Significance of the Expanded BRICS Bloc

BRICS has emerged as an important platform for coordination among major emerging economies and for advancing the interests of the Global South in multilateral institutions. Its agenda covers development, finance, technology, trade and people-to-people exchanges. The grouping currently comprises 11 countries, i.e.Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the UAE. Collectively, the BRICS members account for around 49.5 per cent of the global population, 40 per cent of global GDP and 26 per cent of global trade, according to background information on India's 2026 Chairship.

India's Goals Amid Global Challenges

India's BRICS Chairship comes amid global economic fragmentation, technological disruption, geopolitical uncertainty, climate change and resource pressures. The expanded grouping provides a platform for cooperation on development, climate action, technology, energy and financial resilience, while also contributing to discussions on reforms in global institutions. For India, the 2026 Chairship is focused on translating the expanded representation of BRICS into meaningful cooperation and tangible outcomes, while building consensus among its diverse members and strengthening the effectiveness of existing mechanisms.